What was meant to be a joyful family vacation in New York City to celebrate a child’s birthday ended in an unthinkable tragedy for a Spanish family on Thursday afternoon. The victims involved in the heart-wrenching helicopter crash in the Hudson River have been identified as a family of five from Spain, who were being toured by the pilot. All six people aboard, including the pilot, died in the crash.
According to the reports, Agustin Escobar and his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, were visiting from Barcelona with their three children, ages 4, 5, and 11. Spanish media outlet El Diario reported that the trip was planned in celebration of one of the children’s birthdays.
Not long after arriving in New York, they decided to take a scenic helicopter tour over Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. The family were evidently excited about their helicopter tour, as they were all smiles in photos capturing them in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV only minutes before the crash. The photos were posted online by the tour company, New York Helicopter Tours.
However, the joy was short-lived. Just 16 minutes after takeoff, the 36-year-old pilot radioed in to report low fuel, according to FDNY officials. Shortly after, the helicopter broke apart in midair and spiralled out of control over the Hudson River before plummeting into the water near Pier 40 with immense force, which was captured in videos that have since gone viral.
According to officials, four of the occupants in the helicopter were pronounced dead at the scene. The remaining two were rushed to the hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries.
Escobar, who served as the global CEO of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, and Montal, a senior executive at Siemens Energy, were both highly regarded professionals, according to the New York Post. Montal was also the granddaughter of Agustí Montal Costa, the former president of FC Barcelona.
New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth expressed his sorrow in a statement, saying that as a father and a grandfather himself, the incident has left him “devastated”.
According to the New York Post, Roth said the pilot was returning to base to refuel before the tragedy. He noted that he has been in the business for three decades, and he has never witnessed such a catastrophe. He theorised that the cause of the crash might be a mechanical issue or a bird strike.
President Donald Trump addressed the incident on Truth Social, calling it “a terrible crash” and offering condolences to the families of the victims.